Big Eared Midget (Cayetano Santos Godino)

16-year-old from Argentina murders 4 innocent children

Cayetano Santos Godino (October 31, 1896 – November 15, 1944), also known as "Petiso Orejudo" ("Big Eared Midget"), was an Argentinian serial killer who terrified Buenos Aires at the age of 16. In the early 20th century, he was responsible for the murder of four children, the attempted murder of another seven children, and the arson of seven buildings.



Childhood Violence  

Godino was one of eight boys born into an abusive, alcoholic family. He showed signs of cruelty early on in life, as he spent a lot of time in his childhood mutilating cats and birds, and became fascinated with fire. Godino's inability to socialize and lack of interest in academics, caused him to move around to many schools.

At just seven years old, Godino realized his lust for violence. One day he approached a random two-year-old boy and began to beat him. After a time, he picked up the child and threw him into a ditch. Not even a year later, Godino beat a you girl from his neighborhood with a rock. Both times he was apprehended but released due to his age. Ironically the only jail time Godino faced while he was a young child was a 2-month sentence he served when his parents became worried about his "compulsive masturbation."

Love of Fire and Violence  

Godino love for fire, led him to begin setting property on fire.

In 1912, Arturo Laurona, 13, was found dead in an abandoned house

A few months later, in march of 1912, Godino set fire to the dress of Reyna Vainicoff, 5, who did not recover and died some days later.

September 1912, he set fire to a railway station.

November 8, 1912, he tried to choke 8-year-old Roberto Russo. He was arrested and charged with attempted murder but was released until the trial.

On November 16, 1912, he hit Carmen Ghittoni, who suffered minor wounds before a police officer intervened.

On November 20, 1912, he kidnapped two-year-old Carolina Neolener, who cried out and was rescued by a neighbour.

Later in the same month, he set fire to two large sheds that were extinguished quickly.
On December 3, 1912, Godino saw Jesualdo Giordano playing outside his house and offered to buy the boy some sweets to convince him to go with him. Providing a few sweets then offering more, Godino took Giordano to a country house. When they were inside, he threw him to floor and unsuccessfully tried to choke him with his belt. Then he cut his belt and tied his hands and legs. He started beating him and considered hammering his head. He left the house looking for a nail and saw Giordano's father, to whom he said he did not know where the child was. He then re-entered the house with the nail. He hammered it into the side of Giordano's skull and hid the corpse. The body was found by the father minutes later. At 8:00 PM, Godino went to the wake and touched the skull where he had fixed the nail.

At 5:30 a.m. on December 4, 1912, he was arrested by police, confessing his crimes.

Life in Jail  

1913: Was sentenced to a reformatory, as he was declared mentally insane. Here, he tried to kill a number of inmates (on different occasions).
1915: Was ordered to move to a jail.
1923: Spent time in the hospital after he was beaten for killing a few of his fellow inmates pet cats.
1935-1944: Throughout this time, he received no visits and was constantly plagued by illness. He died in 1944 under "strange circumstances."

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